Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-05
CONFESSION BY MRS DRUsE.
How the Murder or Her Husband
Was Committed.

Was Committed.
The New York Star has published con-
fession, made under advice Of her counsel
10 its correspondent, by Mrs. Druse, the
HeIkimer.Couniy murderess OF her hus.
band, whose case is now exciting so much
interest. 1t duplicates two men who have
not heretofore been accused. After re.
heal sing the tale OF his continual cruelty to
her and the children, she says, a. TO the
murder itself: "In the first place, heard
swearing before got ont OF bed. He was
swearing at Frank for having made hot
fire. Mary answered him, and be swore
at me. and said that IT was nv
place To see to It, lie went out to
the barn then, but what he did | don't
know. He went to the well to wash. a
board was ont there, and be came in and
asked: who split up this bOard!' He
said, you -, you.' | ran into the but
terv, and he followed me with the axe in
bis hand. He pounded at the door with
the axe. The marks are still there. That
was about O'Clock. Then there was some
thing about the store bill don't quite re.
collect. told him that he had got part OF
the things for himself-tobaccO and such.
he then SAID, IN "A rage: There will be Diff
ferent arrangements before night. You'll
not see another service. I'll stop your
- breath He went 10 the barn with
his pifchiork. When he came in, the tea
had been stepped too long. ] had the re-
volyer in my bosom. ! was
AFRAID THEN HE WOULD KILL ME-.
Mary and / were In the parlor, and didn't
know what TO do. took it from the bu-
Teau. Charles Yates gave 1t TO Mary the
wear before. We had behring's for breakfast,
and he had bis iack-kniie out using IL, be.
cause it was sharper than table knife. He
found fault with the tea, and said, This Is
some OF that - Chef Crimm's tea you
bought it YOURSELF said. You lie
be saiu, and he grabbed hold Of Inc. lie
raised the knife So" and with this Mrs.
Druse raised her hand and illustrated the
way the knife was held. Il thought he
meant business" she went on in hoarse
whisper. "My first thought was my re-
finger. ] never fred of a pistol before.
lust wounded him. lie settled back in
his chair. | was Just scared to death, al
most fainting away. Mary gave me some
water. Franz Gates and Georgia came in.
| don't know what did. ] was almost
gone, that | know. Frank shot three
"Are you sure OF that." the reporter
asked her, warniDgly.
"Fn swear to that when am diving"
she said sOberly. "That is the last thing /
will have to say. II il wasn't Gates him
self II was some one who must have had
mask like his face. The first time saw
this person was when be came to the win
dow at the time OF the firing. He came
into the parlor door and fired. There were
more shots. The marks are on the wall.
Then the other man came in. lie had red
dish wbiskers."
do you know him 7"
"Ile was Elmore, but there was another,
| don't know who he was. Gates said that
be was going to Elmore's, and heard the
firing and came in. | first saw him when
he stood at the door and bullet passed my
head. We didn't know what TO do. Gates
told us 10 go out. We tied the door with
the rope to the sewing.mnchine to keep
him from tracking the blood all over the
house. Gates took the remains into the
parlor and
CONCEALED THEM TILL NIGHT.
Gates went right home after this"
Are you sure that the other man was
Elmore?"
~ will say il il was TO go TO the scat
fold now. The body was put in the bed
room, in the buckwheat, that night. The
next evening they took 1t away. They
took il away in the midnight on Charlie:
Gates's bob. Elinore and Chef Gates came
II was wrapped in a quilt and a piece o.
| carpet. IL was put on the forward bob
Elmore rode and Chef Gates walked.
won't be positive, for | don't know fol
certain"
"Wbat became of the body :"
"They told me that they would bury II
in the swamp. They told me to ask nc
| questions.
When Mrs. Druse finished she was trem
| bling violently with emotion.
But why should Gates and Gilmore hell
| TO put your husband out of the way."
Mrs. Druse hesitated a moment and theT
| answered 81 don't know, except that the,
were Jealous. Gates told him to keep away
from bis house or be would kill him. FL
more, too, was Jealous"
And how about the bones that Franl
Gates says he put in the swamp and were
! found theref"
"There were no bones burned in th,
stove. burned the clothes and all th,
things that were bloody. | put the boot,
| in the fire. That made the smoke ant
ashes. II those bones were put in there
didn't know anything OF it. 'The boy
| had a FIRE that day near the swamp, wher,
they were chopping wood. Gates told mi
10 tell il ii was found out that ! hat
burned the body. lie said, I'm Kill you i
| you tell on me-
"Didn't you cut your husbands head OF
with the axe?"
| . | didn't take the axe in nv haAd,n
"Then why should your son tell Thu
story?"
"Frank Gates made him. lie was will
HIM all the time in jail"
"That story" said her lawyer, after thu
woman bad ended her tale. "is what sh,
told me before the trial. She told it Just
as she tells II now. There is 10 discrep
ancy that can see."